Improvement in bolts for safes



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Letters Patent No. 102,780, dated MaylO, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOLTS FOR SAIES, 8cc.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. DAMox, of Portland, county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful improved Detachable Rcvolving Shaft and Gear for Safes, 85e.; and I hereby. declare the following to be afull and exact description thereof', which will enable others to make and use my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a' part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an edge section of a safe door, with my improvement thereon;

Figure 2 is an inside view of a. door, with an end view of my improvement in the shaft, and a view of the bolts of the safe operated by it; and

Figure 3 is a side view of the sleeve.

In most safes there is a shaft, with a knob projecting from the outside of the door, by which, when the safe is unlocked, the bolts are thrown. Such a one is intended to be illustrated by iig. 1 in the accompanying drawing.

When the bolts are thrown and the safe locked, however, this shaft and knob still have a bearing upon and connection with thc bolts, and, by grasping the knob in the hand, the bolts may be felt by the person so doing. This` is generally by certain points or studs which lit into holes in the.arin that moves the bolts, the Sallie. fitting loosely, so that when grasped by the hand a slight vibrating motion may be given to the knob. This has been proved to have several disadvantages. In case of a burglar attempting to force the safe or pickv its lock he can always feel the bolts by means of this shaft. He can then, by exerting some little force in attempting to turn the shaft, break oft" the points -or projections, and thus put the owner to great expense in reopening his safe, sincet-he door must be removed in order to get in and make the necessary repairs.

My invention seeks to obviate this dificulty. With this view l make my shaft b capable of revolving freely iu the wall of the safe, and having no operative connection with the bolts except when the lock-bolt is drawn back or when the lock is unlocked. But, when the bolt is thrown and the safe locked, the shaft will freely rotate in its socket, but no force from it can be exerted on the bolts. This, as will be seen, relieves the shaft from the liability' to be broken by being tampered with, and deprives the burglar of a very important aid and means of forming his calculation iu an attempt upon the safe.

The pinion c is fitted to the shaft b so as to turn freely thereon, and is held in place bythe ring n, which is securely fastened to the shaft.

The teeth of the pinion c engage with the rack 7c, on the bar I, said bar being rigidly attached to the bolts nl. I

The sleeve d has a square opening through its center, which fits uponthe square portion b of the shaftb, so as to slide upon, but must turn with it.

It is also provided with projecting pins d', whieh,

when the sleeve is pressed against the pinion e, enter holes c therein. Then, by turning the shaft, the pinion is made to revolve and actuate the bolts m.

This sleeve is operated by the pivoted lever e, which has a stud projecting into the sleeve, and so moving it up or back as the lever is moved.

The lever e is pivoted to the projecting piece f by the pivot/i. This piece is bolted to the inside of the door, as illustrated.

The'lever has also the inclined slotted piece t, in which moves the stud G, attached to the lock-bolt h.

Now, when the lock is unlocked or the bolt h drawn back, the stud G moving to the upper end of the slot in t swings the lever eon' its pivot'an'd slips the sleeve along the shaft b', and causes the projections d to enter the holes c' in e, by which position the bolts can be felt and moved by b. But after the bolt his thrown and locked, the stud G moves to the position seen in iig. 1, and moves back the lever on its pivot, and the projections d are withdrawn from the holes e', thus allowing the shaft b to be turned al will, but vnot allowing it to effect or press up or exert any force upon the bolts. Then unlocked, however, the sleeve is again slipped upon the shaft, the projections upon d are thrown into the holes c', and then the bolts can be moved.

What I claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, in a safe-lock, of the attaching and detaohing device, to wit, the.pinion c, the sleeve d, and pivoted slotted lever e, as described,

GEORGE L. DAMGN.

Witnessesz WM'. H. CLIFFORD, WM. FRANKLIN PAVEY. 

